I’m highlighting Mo’s performance for obvious reasons - like everything that’s been going on for the last week - and to rebut some of the crazy statements being made here by some that imply that this club should cater everything to serve him.
I definitely agree that the issues do not end with Mo. Not by a long shot. And Mo’s issues are due, in part, to the fact that he doesn’t have the same connection with Ekitike and Isak and Bradley and Gomez that he did with, say, Luis Diaz or Bobby Firmino or Trent. That’s understandable.
But teams were exploiting Mo’s side over and over and over again knowing that Mo wasn’t punishing them for doing so. What’s Slot supposed to do? Just sit and hope Mo rediscovers a form which has been nonexistent for months now?
No, we didn’t have the league wrapped up until April 27. And would it surprise you to learn that the only two goals Mo scored between March and May were…AFTER we secured the title.
He is. And I’ve been very critical of Slot throughout this downturn in form. I was on the verge of calling for him to be sacked after the PSV loss.
I hope he turns things around and I hope Mo is brought back into the fold. But I won’t insulate Mo from criticism. His benching was justified, in my view, even as a short term measure.
In the long term, he might be best suited as a player brought on in the second half to terrorize tired legs. I hope he isn’t at that point in his career, though. I hope his form returns because when he’s on, he’s special.
So what? It is directly addressing the contention about how long its been since Mo was really firing - its not just this season but goes a significant way into the previous season. Back then we either over looked it or put it down to the pressure of trying to get over the line with the various records he was going for. But the reality is things completely dried up for him on the back end of the season for a period that lasted a good 20% of the season.
Another way is that had we dropped a few more points after 8th March, then it might have given Arsenal the belief and impetus to push us harder than they did.
All I can remember is waiting for Mo and TAA to be on the pitch at the same time to get a result.
Biggest cheer from my son I I always came when Trent came on. It was given something would happen whether it was them who scored or not. You could see it in their attitude and how they played.
The rest of the team slumped much earlier and were a concern.
So who, having already sacked Slot, is now a little more sceptical? I certainly am.
I feel, the club of course knew this was a transition season well before we could evaluate such, and provided Slot didnt fall below a certain line, he would be ok. Whilst that line was close a few time this autumn, some stability looks to be returning. That away win at Inter did us so much good. To his credit Slot got put in the mixer and he seems to be weathering it. If he pulls it off it will have done him some exceptional good.
Because in the least, however shit we got, a new manager would have been very much worse